Improvement of the Polyvinilydene Fluoride Membrane by Incorporating of Cellulose Nanocrystals as Modifying Agent

Modification of polymer solution with various additive is generally conducted to improve the membrane performance. In this study, we investigate the modification of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes by addition of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) into polymer solution. The effect of the addition of 0.5 wt% of CNC was studied in detail on the membrane structure, water content, and its filtration performance. The water content of the modified PVDF membrane with CMCs was higher than that of the pristine PVDF membrane. Pure water flux shows a similar trend with the addition of 0.5wt% CNC, which correlates with the results of porosity and membrane swelling tests. The increase in water content, permeability, porosity, and swelling indicates an improvement in the antifouling properties of the membrane. This research provides insight that the addition of CNC enhances the performance of PVDF polymer membranes for use in water treatment.